This was easily the best ad of the Super Bowl hands down. It was exciting to see Google’s first Super Bowl advertisement ever (and first TV ad period I think…though there may have been the odd commercial early on). Apparently “Parisian Love” as it’s called was available for viewing well before tonight as part of Google’s Search Stories. Anyway I found it refreshing and clever; a nice change from the rest of the nonsense.
On average I was very disappointed with the quality and originality of the ads. I was surprised how many concepts seemed to double up (not only that, but also play consecutively). Tackling was a surprisingly frequent punch line. Yawn. I think Super Bowl ads peaked sometime back in the late 90’s early 00’s. Cheers to Google for putting out something worthwhile.
Loved that one too and the Beavers playing violins
Ha! That made me smile. That’s really good.
This was certainly my favorite spot. And I’m so tired of animals, slapstick and talking babies.
Yes. Bravo Google.
I didn’t watch the super bowl so I can’t compare it to the other ads and I loved this! But, I wonder how much the story of traveling to Paris while in college and falling in love with a french girl would resonate with your -um- average super bowl watchers.
That’s a really good point Andrew. And on top of that, how many of your average Super Bowl viewers were sober enough to read along and follow the story by that point in the game?
Me personally, I missed the spot during the game (due to inebriation) but very much like the commercial.
I’m EXTREMELY bitter my Vikings didn’t make it this year. Curse you Favre…. next year…
The VW one where Stevie Wonder calls the red punch buggy gave me a good hearty laugh.
Google has had a series of these on hulu for awhile. ‘parisian love’ is new i though, i think.
Man, when this came on my brother and I were like “why”. Why does google need to advertise? But yeah, pretty clever although he called that they would end up married within the first 5 seconds.
Also, a little part of me died when I heard “Two Weeks” playing in the background of that VW ad, but I guess you couldn’t keep a lid on something as good as Veckatimest for long. I just wish I could have had a little bit longer with it before it was drilled into my head via every outlet imaginable for the next year a’la Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.
It seems like in my limited time of actually paying attention to superbowl ads, they’ve become more outrageous but not necessarily more clever. The Google ad was the most clever (and maybe the lowest budget, from the looks of it). They did a great job of doing the most with the least.
Like last year, I actually thought the funniest ads were for Denny’s, although it’s a lost cause because their food is so gross even a free grand slam couldn’t entice me.
This commercial brought back really good memories of when me and my high school “BFF” went to Paris, France. We Googled everything French for weeks! This was a joke between us in high school until one day she called and asked me if I wanted to go to France with her for a week! Best vacation I’ve had yet!
… definitely agree with Scott about Two Weeks – good stuff nonetheless!
Scott –
Yeah. Part of me died too when I heard that. Another part of me died when I heard Beirut on a GMC commercial. I’m like half dead at this point.
it is moving. most impactful message out of the super bowl ads. well done creative lab. who was the writer/ art director?
I agree, definitely the only ad that made an impact for me. Although Andrew, you bring up a really good point, in a room of 12 or so people, I think my girlfriend and I were the only ones who seemed to get it.
Scott, Navis – i think the biggest problem is that the phoenix, beirut, etc songs do not match the commercials or product well at all. their target audience is all wrong, i mean what early twenties hipster can afford a mercedes anyway? let alone a brand new VW. not to mention that kind ‘big picture’ advertising isnt going to steal their attention anyway. I think the passion pit songs played with the sprint commercial works however. not really my thing but it works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbcnH0h69NY
Lydia – Dennys actually stepped it up, i ate there the other night and got tons of eggs and whole wheat pancakes. it was delicious. especially at 4am
The Google ad works because, like a Salinger story, it gives only details and requires the reader to figure the untold story. And while Google doesn’t need to advertise, a subtle [ironic] Superbowl ad is a show of strength.
[As a kid I used to laugh at TV ads for the electric company- not the TV show, either.]
Lovely commercial- very cosy and warming. Anyone know what song is playing?
Now, I admit: I spent most of my younger years renouncing the use of independent music to sell products and chastised my once-favorite bands for “selling out,” but I was beyond pumped to hear Grizzly Bear and Arcade Fire the other night. Do you honestly think that it’s going to make the music any better if they keep a lid on it and only allow those of us who are “in the know” to enjoy it? I do agree that you run the risk of driving a good band/song intro the ground by overuse (like Scott’s Phoenix example), but that doesn’t last forever and eventually their 15 minutes will be over and they’ll probably continue making great music the way they did before they were in a VW commercial. When it’s all said and done, a great band gets rewarded for putting out great music and the viewer gets exposed to bands that they might not have heard otherwise. I would infinitely rather hear “Two Weeks” or “Wake Up” or even “1901” 10,000 more times than have a lousy band like the Black Eyed Peas playing every commercial break trying to sell me a new car or a cell phone plan.
I agree that the ads in general were poor, but mostly because the common theme was how women/girlfriends/wives ruined their men’s lives by taking them shopping or telling them to pick up their socks. Really? What? Last I checked, women watch the superbowl too.
Failure abound.